There’s No Such Thing As Too Many Questions.

Everyone has questions, after an accident. Why did this happen? What can be done now? What are my rights under the law? That’s when you can turn to the lawyers who can assist answer your questions. Bob Katz has posted many Frequently Asked Questions on his website. He wants Maryland and Virginia injury victims to have the facts so they can move forward with their cases, make the right decision when hiring an attorney, receive the compensation they deserve, and focus on their recovery.

The following are a selected group of questions frequently asked by injured victims seeking answers. Please note that the following materials are NOT Legal Advice or Legal Opinion – All materials provided herein are prepared for a general audience for general informational purposes only. Their sole purpose is to better educate you about a variety of general legal issues so that you become more educated consumers of legal services.Information provided on the Sites should never be a substitute for consulting with a lawyer. Please contact us directly for advice on your specific situation.

Placing a value on a Maryland personal injury case is difficult. There are many factors to consider.

Who is Responsible? (How Did the Injury Occur?)

How the injury occurred is very important. As Maryland is one of a few remaining states that employ a body of law known as the contributory negligence doctrine, the strength of the liability case is critical in Maryland. Generally speaking, the Plaintiff or claimant must be a victim of another’s negligence. If the victim is held to be contributory negligent in causing their own injury, they will be barred from recovering in tort in Maryland. The clearer the liability case is, the easier it will be to prevail on a claim. This often has some impact on a cases value as a more difficult case may be perceived to have a lower value due to the higher probability that the claimant will be unsuccessful in proving their claim.

Damages

The value of cases will also vary greatly based on the amount of damages suffered by the victim. Typically, all else being equal, the greater the damages suffered, the greater the value of the case will be. Given the same liability posture, a victim who suffers from a fracture or broken bone due to another’s negligence is probably likely to recover more compensation than a person who sustains a muscle sprain under the same circumstances (also known as a "soft tissue" injury).

Exceptions

For every rule, there is an exception. Accordingly, it cannot be emphasized enough that two identical cases are a physical impossibility of the world. Each case is unique and has unique facts, involving different people in different circumstances. Therefore, it is usually IMPOSSIBLE to determine exactly what a case is worth, especially early on in the case. As the case develops over time, it will be possible for a lawyer to give a more realistic assessment to the client as to the perceived value of the claim based on its strength and weaknesses. That being said, your lawyer may be able to analyze comparable verdicts in your jurisdiction with similar fact patterns to give you an idea of the possible outcomes.

Too Many Variables

The law allows for compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, scarring, disfigurement, emotional distress, medical bills, loss of future earnings and other damages. Each person will have unique damages to calculate and often these damages will be "non-economic," and thus difficult to put a number on. Lawyers typically look to jury verdict histories in the counties where the injury occurred to get an idea of what a typical jury will do with a similar claim, however as each case is unique, these verdicts are not outcome determinative or ultimately predictive. A lawyer who has experience settling personal injury matters AND taking them to trial to obtain a verdict, will be able to give you an assessment as to a case's ultimate value. The variance among these factors has to be considered. For example, some cases will have strong liability but weak damages. Other cases will have high damages but weak liability. The cases with both extensive damages and egregious negligence with blameless victims will likely have the highest value.

The Role of Experts in Personal Injury Cases

Generally, there are two types of witnesses that may be involved with an accident case:

Eyewitnesses who were present at the scene of the incident and have personal knowledge of what they saw or heard; and,

Expert witnesses who may be hired by your attorney to assist with matters of proof.

An expert witness is a unique participant in the trial process because he or she did not actually “witness” anything related to the accident. Instead, these individuals help prove different elements of your case because they bring specialized knowledge to the table. Typically, they offer their services to support your attorney’s trial preparations as:

Consulting Experts:

A consulting expert is often described as an extension of the law firm, assisting lawyers with developing trial strategy, reviewing documents, and providing other advice. Attorneys have education and experience in legal matters, but may require support when it comes to medical, technical, financial, and other topics.

Testifying Experts:

This specialist will actually be called by your attorney as a witness at trial, to help explain complicated subjects in language that the jury or judge understand.

At times, a single individual may serve as both a consulting and testifying expert witness. Depending on the details of your case, there may be multiple experts involved – covering a number of different topics.

Accident Reconstruction Specialists

When there is a degree of speculation involving fault in the incident that caused your injuries, your lawyer may utilize an accident reconstruction specialist. These experts typically have backgrounds in physics and other fields that enable them to assess the science behind accidents. By using their own knowledge and the assistance of technology, accident reconstruction experts can establish links between actions, conditions, and fault.
An accident reconstruction specialist is especially useful considering the chaos and confusion that usually surround accidents. Drivers, passengers, and witnesses may not have a clear recollection of what happened or they may provide conflicting accounts of what they experienced. Alternatively, as in the case of the woman killed in the College Park accident, the primary witness may be unavailable.

Other Types of Experts

In addition to accident reconstruction experts, your attorney may also retain the services of other specialists, including:

Physicians and Medical Experts:

One of the most common types of experts in a personal injury case is a doctor, usually a specialist in a certain medical field. A physician may participate in your case to review your injuries and treatment, which is especially useful when your lawyer must establish proof for non-economic damages. It is hard to put a dollar value on pain and suffering, or quality of life; a doctor can use the information in your medical records, including details on procedures, surgeries, and prescriptions, to support your claim for these types of losses.

Mental Health Experts:

When your injuries have a significant emotional impact on your life, your attorney may use a mental health expert. These specialists can act as a consulting expert or testifying witness just as other physicians; however, the focus would be on how the accident and your injuries have resulted in emotional distress.

Actuaries and Financial Specialists:

Part of your claim in a personal injury matter may involve lost income if you are unable to work for health reasons. Proving your lost wages is not difficult in certain cases, such as when you are out of work for two weeks while you recover from your injuries: Your pay stubs can be used to establish your claim. However, your professional future may also be affected by your injuries. For example, if you are unable to ever return to work in a job that requires certain physical capabilities, or you suffered a brain injury that impacts your cognitive abilities, so you cannot return to a profession that requires mental skills, these are issues to which a financial expert can testify. These experts are useful in proving loss of future income that would otherwise be speculative and difficult to measure. Your amount of compensation will be higher when you can prove what you would have earned in wages had the accident never occurred.

Depending on the complexity of the evidence involved in your personal injury case, it is possible that your attorney will call upon one or more of these types of expert witnesses to assist. These specialists have meticulous skills in their respective areas of expertise, and they are able to take complicated subject matter and turn it into concepts that average people like those who may serve on a jury can comprehend. Of course, you can expect that the responsible party or insurance company will also retain experts to contest your allegations. For this reason, it is important to work with a knowledgeable attorney who has extensive experience utilizing experts, whether for consultation or to testify in court.
If you have been injured in an accident due to someone else’s negligence in Maryland, Washington D.C. or Virginia, please contact the Baltimore headquarters office Bob Katz Law. Our lawyers have access to a wide range of experts in different fields, and we retain these individuals as necessary to prosecute personal injury claims on behalf of our clients. We are happy to answer your questions or schedule an assessment to review the details of your case.

Virginia has a shared fault rule that is relatively harsh on the claimant when compared to other states in the USA. This is one of the few states that retain the law of Contributory Negligence. What it means is that the person that is injured shares some level of blame for the incident in which they were hurt. Most states have instead opted for the comparative negligence framework which allows the court to adjust the damages bearing in mind the percentage of fault that lies with the claimant.
In Virginia there is no such sliding scale of adjustment. No matter how small your fault is as a claimant, the entire lawsuit is dismissed and you get no compensation. In other words you must be totally blameless in order to make an effective claim. Your attorney can advise you on whether you are liable to be denied compensation under these somewhat harsh rules in Virginia. This advice should be based on the circumstances of your case.

We at Bob Katz are multicultural and multilingual. What this means to our clients is that we have many translators available on-hand that speak various languages, including but not limited to Korean, Spanish, Russian and more. These translators are available to all of our clients throughout the claims process during our regular business hours and in some cases even after-hours. There is no additional cost for this service.
We believe that by being able to effectively communicate in an array of languages, that we can offer our clients exceptional communication in a language they can understand, so that they can make informed decisions when dealing with their accident or injury case.
If you need help with your personal injury and aren't 100% confident in your understanding of complicated legal matters in English, or prefer to communicate in a different language for your important legal matter, please give us a call.
We proudly speak
Korean
Spanish
Chinese,
Vietnamese
Amharic
Iranian (Farsi)
Ethiopian
Indian (Hindi, Kashmiri, Telugu, Malayalam, Urdu)
Pakistani
You can reach an interpreter from our staff directly at one of the following phone numbers:

English: 1-888-540-2599

Korean: 1-800-713-7207

Spanish: 301-518-6923

Chinese: 301-758-8690

Other: 1-888-540-2599

It depends.
Maryland Code generally prohibits driving any kind of vehicle on the sidewalk under Title 21 of the Vehicle Laws.
The code lists bicycles as an exception only where permitted by local ordinance. Different counties and cities in Maryland have different rules so there is no easy general answer.
The best guide I have on local bike laws is here
If you are a bicyclist who was injured while riding on a sidewalk or a pedestrian injured by a bicyclist while walking on a sidewalk, your best bet is to contact a Maryland bicycle accident lawyer who is familiar with the bicycle law in the particular county or city where you were injured.
For more information visit
Title 21 of the Maryland Motor Vehicles LawsPLEASE NOTE: Materials are NOT Legal Advice or Legal Opinions - All material located on the Sites, in podcasts, blogs, Faqs and/or social media forums is prepared for a general audience for general informational purposes only. It is not legal advice or a legal opinion. Its sole purpose is to better educate you about a variety of general legal issues so that you become more educated consumers of legal services. While Gordon Feinblatt tries to provide accurate information on the Sites, the law changes quickly. Therefore information contained on the Sites may not reflect the most current interpretation or be complete. Many factors go into the decision-making process of selecting a lawyer and everyone’s needs differ. Moreover, although the specific facts of your matter may seem similar to those of others, they are actually quite different; the law may apply differently or not at all to your situation. Therefore, you should not rely upon or take any action with respect to your specific, personal legal matters based on information contained on the Sites. The Sites are provided “AS IS” and Gordon Feinblatt is not responsible for any action you do or do not take in reliance on any materials on the Sites. Information provided on the Sites should never be a substitute for consulting with a lawyer.

Please contact us directly for advice on your specific situation. See our full Terms of Use for more information.

Read Some of Our Recent Client Reviews!

Everyone here is attentive, they respond quickly to any questions I had. Christina, Angela and Meghan are who I mainly worked with. They made it as simple as they could for a common citizen like me. Gave me great advice, while also taking into consideration how I felt comfortable to proceed. They got me the best compensation settlement they could secure. I don't have any complaints, or anything less than highest rating to offer. Hopefully I don't have to work with them again in the future, but if I do, I know where to go during that stressful time.

I had a great experience with this practice , my Attorney Meghan Young was very professional since the first day I met with her about my accident case . She was very knowledge , patience and kept me updated every chance she got. She responded to all my calls & emails but if she couldn't somebody from the law firm definitely did in a timely manner. She answered all of my questions and concerns , she explain everything to me so well. She sent me all my mail that was needed for me to see for my proof. I wished I use her in my 2017 accident but I didn't finish the case . I was nervous at first because I didn't know what lawyer to go to but I'm glad I went with Meghan young . Hopefully I would never need to again but if so I would most definitely use them in the future and recommend them to anyone who was involved in a accident . Thanks so much Ms Meghan you're the best!!!
Tyshell =)) !!

Had a great experience with this practice and with Meghan Young. They answered all of our questions. They did a great job of translating between us and the lawyer. They were very professional in court and did a great job. Would definitely use them in the future and recommend them to anyone!

My daughter and I were involved in a car accident in February 2019. The other driver was at fault. My paralegal was Marisa Wise and she was great at settling my claim and ensuring that we were satisfied throughout the entire litigation process. Thanks!!!!

The law office of Bob Katz handled my case when I was in a car accident involving a drunk driver. Rebecca's Slattery was the Paralegal that worked with me. She was very helpful and made what could have been a difficult process very easy for me.

The Katz office represented me for my auto accident case and i would like to thank them for their hard work. My paralegal, Jennifer Bolton helped me through the whole process and did a great job with the settlement. This office was very professional and pleasant to work with. i would recommend anyone to choose Bob Katz as their attorney for any personal injury they had with their auto accidents. 👍🏻

Attorney Bob Katz handled my accident case with the optimal level of professionalism, promptness and care. They kept me informed every step of the way and made me feel very comfortable and protected. I would definitely recommend their firm!

I got rear-ended by an uninsured motorist in January of 2019. I worked with Marisa Ward, who took great care of me. She was very responsive and made sure that she had all the details of my case. In July, after all my treatment was finished, I received a large settlement. I would not have received this settlement if I had dealt with only my insurance for this accident. I highly recommend working with Bob Katz if you are involved in any type of vehicle accident.

Marisa Ward took my case for an accident. she was very professional and very patient with me. the outcome of her work was even more surprising. I would recommend her if you are looking for help with your personal injury case. Thanks again Marisa

Marisa Ward took my case for an accident. she was very professional and very patient with me. the outcome of her work was even more surprising. I would recommend her if you are looking for help with your personal injury case. Thanks again Marisa

I have been working with this firm for over a year and they have been very supportive and knowledgeable. I've been working one on one with Rebecca Slattery who has been amazing in helping me through this whole process... I would recommend this firm to any of my colleagues.

I love this office in the Baltimore area. Marisa Ward went above and beyond as my paralegal. I could not have asked for a better assistance. Meghan Young help me all the way up to the court date. She kept me informed the entire time. This is a very informative and efficient team. I didn't have to do the work, they took care of everything. Thank you for all your hard work. April Runk

I loved the staff from this office. They are so easily reachable and so informative. They update me on the status of my settlement so I know what going on. They are so quick with the processing. I recommend here. So far best Attorney office ive worked with. I will definitely be working with them again. Each attorney know what they're doing. Thank you for making my first experience so positive.

I worked with Bob Katz and Jennifer Bolton during my settlement case and highly recommend their team! Ms. Bolton was there for me the every single step of the way and I could not be happier. Everyone is very professional, quick, and you will not be disappointed!

I usually don't write reviews but this one by far was well worth it. Attorney Megan Young went above and beyond for me, in a matter i had lingering on for almost a year and she helped me settled it in less than 60 Days! If I could give 10 stars i would but unfortunately it only allows 5 stars.And the Paralegal Ms.Kristen Turner was also a great help in every step of the way with my case. Thank you guys again!! I would recommend them to any and everyone!

Attorney Bob Katz helped me from start to finish with extreme care and consistency. They are there for you during the process and will do their best to serve you and keep you well informed. My experience with this office was great and I highly recommend Attorney Bob Katz.

I loved having Attorney BobKatz help me with my recent car accident. Ms. Erica was very helpful as well. Very friendly and personable. I would definitely recommend everyone to choose Attorney BobKatz if they are in need of help!

I had positive experience with Attorney Bob Katz office. They were really helpful and really quick in response to all the questions that I have throughout the case. Special thanks to my paralegal, Christina Franetovich and Mrs. Yun, Korean interpreter. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone and especially that needs interpreter.

I have had a very good experience with this attorney. They have been patient with me and have updated me on any news of my case. At first I wasn't sure if I should have chosen them but after a few meetings they have been nothing but nice and understanding. They pushed through and fought to get me through this case without any worries. 10/10 would recommend them to anyone looking for an attorney.

This was my first time ever having to go through a situation like this with a car accident. My main contact was Erica & she was very supportive & informative. She made the whole process seem so effortlessly. They even went to bat with some of my medical providers ro lower my balance with them. I hope I never need an attorney again, but if I do I will surely give them a call.

My family has used this law firm for almost 16 years on our car accident cases. Accidents are stressful experiences, but their law team is very supportive throughout the ordeal. The staff is friendly, professional, and always working to find the best possible outcome for me. As drivers, we just want to get things fixed quickly and move on with our lives. All that is required besides the facts is a little patience. With Bob Katz, I feel assured that someone I can trust has my back.

It was a pleasure to work with Christina Franetovich
She is awesome! She kept me well informed throughout the whole process. Thanks for all your hard work! I would definitely recommend her for your legal needs

Christina has been really helpful with settling both of my accident claims even with my nervousness and constant questions lol. But she worked with me and settled it. She is also available for my diminished value claim (which I'm trying not to annoy her with lol). I would recommend this firm and will probably stick with this firm for any accidents in the future. Hoping there aren't anymore tho

Worked with Sarah Treuhaft (Paralegal) when retained Bob Katz's office. Sarah was absolutely amazing to work with, she was very professional and prompt with everything she did. She would respond to any inquiries I had immediately and never hesitated to hop on the phone to clarify or assist with anything, regardless of how early or late it was.
I definitely highly recommend her and this law office.

Had a very awesome experience fast settlements... Communication was a A+ ...Strongly recommend Mr.Katz. !!! Ms. Robin made me felt like family was always there when i needed her and when i had a question.

Attorney Bob Katz and his staff are highly recommend. Customer Service was impeccable. Every phone call and email was responded to in a timely manner. Natalie Ulrich was very professional, helpful and thorough every step of the way, which resulted in a stress free experience. I will recommend this law firm to family and friends!

Customer service was A+. All questions were answered promptly and information was shared appropriately.
Concerns were addressed and I was made aware of all updates on my case.
I would whole heartedly recommend this firm.

I highly recommend Mr. Katz and his staff. They were friendly, compassionate and really showed they had their clients best interest at heart. There was never a time you called them they didn't respond or returned your calls and answer your questions.They took the worry, and stress and turn it into reassurance. They were diligent and just down right professional. My wife and I really thank God for allowing us to cross paths on a professional business experience. Ms. Rebecca Slatery is the most courteous, compassionate soul. We wish you all peace, love and blessings. Thank you for your service.

I decided to use this firm again for an accident I was involved in. As always they were professional and caring. Rebecca slattery was the paralegal assigned to my case and she was professional and kept me up to date with everything. I would recommend this firm to friends and family!

Erica Z is amazing with keeping you to date and staying communication with you during the entire process. Meghan Young was a wonderful lawyer made me feel extremely comfortable in the courtroom and she also fights for the best possible outcome for you..GREAT LAW FIRM

Ms. Park helped me out through my whole accident process. She took her time with me and made sure I understood everything. I would recommend to her all of my friends if they were to get into any accident.

I highly recommend. My family’s experience with this office was great. Christina Franetovich was very helpful throughout the whole process, which made this experience less stressful. She responded to my questions immediately and made sure that I understood everything.

I was referred to Gordon & feindblatt in 2014 when my family was in an accident, Mr. Katz personally consulted with me by phone and he was very polite and professional, Mr. Carpuso, one of the litigation attorneys even came out to our home and went over our case with us, he made sure all of our needs was addressed and before he left our home that day I felt like we were old friends. that case was settled and I was very pleased, I have used this law firm twice since then and the results are always the same, I have nothing but great experiences with Gordon & Feindblatt the staff are courteous and professional and they get the job done but the one in particular that really stood out for me is Rebecca Slattery, she is truly a gem, she is so compassionate, she walked me through the entire process, she even checked up on me from time to time just to see how I was feeling and I really appreciated her kindness. I will use this law firm again and again for any future legal issue that may arise and I would highly recommend Gordon & Fiendblatt to friends, family and co-workers.

The lawyer who was initially handling my case parted ways with the company and I was assigned a new lawyer. This new lawyer was amazing! Christina Franetovich made me feel secure by double checking all the facts and notes in my case so that I was not worried during this transition. I was on disability from an a different accident while she was finalizing my case, and I had called and hounded her about the time frame of my settlement very frequently to the point that I felt guilty for calling so much. Christina was very sympathetic to my situation and assured me that she would do everything in her power to make sure the situation would be resolved quickly. She actually finalized my case before the time frame she had given me, was always very courteous and knowledgable on the phone, and I feel extremely lucky that she ended up handling my case because the previous lawyer was not as amazing with customer service as Christina. She also has a way of making you feel comfortable and builds incredible rapport quickly. I am going to highly recommend her to my friends and family. Thank you Christina!!!

On Feb 23, 2017 I was in a bad accident on the JFX. I had been rear end by another driver. Almost immediately I felt pressured by the other drivers insurance. Everything from wanting a recorded statement; to failing to acknowledge responsibility. No one would answer my questions, nor would anyone take responsibility. I was frustrated and overwhelmed with everyone from the towing company, to the repair shop, to the insurance company nightmare I just entered.
I reached out to Attorney Robert Katz and I was assured they were here to help. He provided with some much needed information, and told me not to worry, Sarah his Paralegal would be in touch to help get things moving.
Sarah reached out as expected and explained their process and walked me through what my expectations would be. She as well assured me they were here to help me navigate the obstacles. What Sarah really did was so much more than help. She took the stress and burden off my shoulders and assumed ownership for handling everything on my behalf. I knew what to expect, and I received regular updates throughout the entire process. Honestly, I received so much more than I anticipated. Some of the most frustrating items to chase after are medical records and hospital charges. While I was trying to recall events and timelines, she had already obtained my records and information. She made this process so painless. I truly cannot say enough about the exceptional service she provided. Many thanks for all your help.
Sincerely, Richard Hose

My husband and I were in a car accident in August 2017. We contacted Bob Katz team for legal representation in our case. Kristen A. Turner was our paralegal and she was excellent. It took 9 months for us to receive our settlement and Kristen kept us updated throughout this entire process. She was very kind and patient as I happened to have several questions. She always answered my questions promptly and thoroughly. I would highly recommend this firm and Kristen if you are in need of legal assistance.

My experience here was great. My lawyer Rebecca was so professional and I love her personality. She handled my case well and kept me updated and made the process easy and always made me feel comfortable to call whenever I needed to know anything.

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Please note: transmissions via the internet are not confidential. You transmit confidential information at your own risk.
I agree and understand Attorney-client privilege does NOT apply to, and Gordon Feinblatt and/or Bob Katz or any member of the Bob Katz Law Legal Team is not responsible for, any information or materials I disclose through these contact forms or via this website. Gordon Feinblatt may treat any information provided though this website as non-confidential and public. For a privileged conversation with an attorney, please call our office directly.

The information on this website is for informational purposes only; it is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. It does not constitute professional advice. All information is subject to change at any time without notice. Contact us for complete details or review our Terms of Use.